WEBVTT IMPACTTHIS COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TOCOME.>> IT SEEMS THAT ONLY THE BUDGETOF THIS GOLIATH PROJECT MATTERSTO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, NOT THE DESTRUCTION OF OURBLACK NEIGHBORHOOD.COURTIS: A PACKED HOUSE AT ARARE MORNING CINCINNATI CITYCOUNCIL MEETING.AT ISSUE A HALF BILLION DOLLAREXPANSION PROJECT BY CINCINNATICHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.AN ISSUE THAT PUT A WEDGEBETWEEN THE AVONDALE COMMUNITYAND THE HOSPITAL, AND TURNEDINTO A POLITICAL HOT POTATO.>> THIS IS A POLITICAL SEASONAND MUCH OF THE RHETORIC AROUNDTHIS VOTE TODAY IS PROBABLYINFLUENCED BY THAT.I WILL NOT CHANGE MY VALUESBASED ON AN ELECTION.COURTIS: THE EXPANSION INCLUDES1100 PARKING SPACES AND THECONSTRUCTION OF A 600,000 SQUAREFOOT CRITICAL CARE BUILDING,INCLUDING NEW ICU AND EMERGENCYFACILITIES.ALL OF THIS IN THE AREA OFERKENBRECKER AND BURNETT AVENUES.IN ADDITION, THE HOSPITAL WOULDINVEST $11.5 MILLION IN AVONDALEAS PART OF A MULTI-YEARECONOMIC, HOUSING AND HEALTHPROJECT.COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYORALCANDIDATE YVETTE SIMPSONPROPOSED AN AMENDENT TO INCREATHAT INVESTMENT TO 5% OF THEPROJECT, ABOUT $28 MILLION.>> WE DO NOT SUPPORT THEREQUIREMENTS THE MOTION WOULIMPOSE ON CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S.COURTIS: SIMPSON WAS OFFENDED BYTHOSE WHO CALLED HER AMENDMENT,A SHAKEDOWN.>> I CAN GIVE YOU COUNTLESSEXAMPLES WHEN THE CORPORATECOMMUNITY HAS ASKED US TO REWORKPRIORITIES AND WE'VE DONE THATVERY THING THE MEDIA NOR THEPUBLIC CALLED IT A SHAKEDOWN.THEY NEVER CALLED IT EXTORTIONWHEN THIS WAS MADE TO US.COURTIS: IN THE END COUNCILREJECTED THE AMENDMENT AND VOTEDTO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEHOSPITAL EXPANSION PLAN.>> WE FEEL A DEEP SENSE OFCOMMITMENT TO THE UPTOWN ANDAVONDALE COMMUNITY AND WE'VEWORKED HARD TI BE A GOOD-- TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR ANDGOOD PARTNER.WE'RE GOING TO WORK HARDTOGETHER MAKE IT EVEN BETTER INTHE DAYS AHEAD.COURTIS: THIS IS A PROJECT THATWILL LAST ABOUT FOUR YEARS ORSO.

There was a packed house at Wednesday’s rare morning Cincinnati City Council meeting.

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The main issue was the $500 million expansion project proposed by Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Some residents oppose the project, including Avondale Community Council President Patricia Milton.

"Homeowners were not told they were selling their property for a commercial. That type of back door eminent domain should not be allowed," Milton said.

The hospital expansion calls for 1,100 additional parking spaces, and the construction of a 600,000-square-foot critical care building with 120 new beds, an expanded pharmacy and intensive care and emergency facilities.

In addition, the hospital would invest $11.5 million as part of a multiyear economic, housing and health project in the neighborhood of Avondale.

Council member and mayoral candidate Yvette Simpson proposed an amendment to increase that investment to 5 percent of the project, about $28 million.

“This is a political season and much of the rhetoric around this vote today is probably influenced by that. I will not change my values based on an election,” Simpson said.

Hospital officials said they did not support the requirements attached to Simpson’s motion.

Simpson said she was offended by those who called her amendment a shakedown.

“I can give you countless examples when the corporate community has asked us to rework priorities and we've done that very thing the media nor the public called it a shakedown,” Simpson said.

The council rejected Simpson’s amendment and voted to move forward with the zoning change to accommodate the original hospital expansion plan.

“We’ve worked to be a good neighbor and good partner and we're going to work hard together to make it even better in the days ahead,” Michael Fisher, Children’s Hospital CEO said,.